10 Cars You Can Bet Will Be Classics

It's hard to know what cars will be future classics. Oh sure, some of them are obvious — damn near any exotic will certainly go up in value eventually, and it's hard to go wrong with a limited-edition ride like the Porsche 911 Sport Classic.

But what about the cars that aren't so obvious? What models sitting in showrooms might be the next 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350? The guys at Hagerty Insurance Agency think they know. Each year the company, which bills itself as "the world leader in collector car insurance," takes a look at everything in showrooms and compiles its "hot list" of 10 future collector cars you can buy now for less than $100,000.

"We have fun each year looking at which new vehicles embody the characteristics of collector cars, to help predict which ones might have classic appeal in 15 to 20 years," CEO McKeel Hagerty said in a statement. "The Hot List is our prediction for which cars manufactured this year will hold their value and consumer appeal long enough to one day be regarded as collectible."

Given that it's an annual list, all of the cars are 2011 models. The list is Hagerty's; the comments are ours. It's sure to spark some debate — lists always do — so feel free to spout off in the comments.

Above:

Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible

The drop-top retro ride offers a 6.2-liter V-8 producing 426 horsepower. By the way, if you haven't read Dan Neil's review of the Camaro SS, do so now. It's the best car review ever. Photo: General Motors

BMW 335is

BMW, apparently tired of customers turning to tuners like Dinan to make their Bimmers a little quicker, worked some magic on the 335. A hotter chip gives the twin-turbo'd six-cylinder a little more boost, a few suspension tweaks improve the handling, and some body mods give it a distinctive look. The result is 320 horsepower and zero-to-60 in 4.8 seconds.

Photo: BMW

Cadillac CTS-V Coupe

Everything you need to know about this car: It has a supercharged V-8 engine that produces 556 horsepower and about 4 metric tons of torque. It's ridiculously powerful, ridiculously fast and ridiculously awesome. Cars like this are one reason Bob Lutz should be canonized.

Photo: General Motors

Dodge Challenger Drag Pak

"Hi. We're Chrysler. We have no idea how to be a viable automaker, and we seem to be stuck firmly in the last century. But we build some really crazy (bleep) that you know you want to drive. Here, have a drag strip–devouring retro ride with an 8.4-liter V-10 engine."

Ford Mustang Boss 302R

This track-day weapon is decked out with everything you need to go racing. It's as exclusive as it is fast, with Ford building no more than 50. They go for $79,000. For the rest of us, there's the Ford Mustang Boss with the 444-horsepower V-8 and the optional "TracKey" that turns the retro ride into a real beast.

Photo: Ford

Honda CR-Z

Contrary to Honda's initial hype, this is not the second coming of the venerable CR-X. It is, however, the world's first sporty hybrid. It's attractive, affordable and — yes — fun to drive. The car is not without its faults (it could use a little more power, and better handling), but it's a welcome direction for hybrids.

Photo: Jim Merithew / Wired.com

Infiniti IPL G37 Coupe

Mercedes has AMG. BMW has M-Sport. And now Infiniti has Infiniti Peformance Line, an in-house tuning operation to give its cars a little more oomph. The G37 is the first car to get the IPL treatment. It's faster, sportier and more expensive than the base model.

Photo: Infiniti

Mini Countryman

WTF? Yeah, we aren't sure about this one either. We haven't driven one, but the Mini Countryman is said to be a hoot to drive, especially with all-wheel drive, a turbo and the John Cooper Works package.

Photo: Mini

Porsche Boxster Spyder

For whatever reason, the Porsche Boxster has a bit of a rep for being a chick car. Hoping to alleviate that, Porsche gave the Boxster Spyder a big shot of testosterone and called it a Porsche for purists. That means it gets a flimsy bikini top, minimal amenities, less weight and more power. The result is said to be amazing. Who are we to argue?

Photo: Porsche

UPDATED 1:50 p.m. Eastern: Updated to mention Hagerty's list was limited to cars costing less than $100,000, which is why you don't see something like the Ferrari 458 Italia on it.

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